


Superhero

by helo572



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: (in traditional James T Kirk fashion), Alien Planet, Aliens, Convenient Beaming Up, Fluff, I'm Sorry, Running Away, Sappy Ending, i'm sappy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-28
Updated: 2016-07-28
Packaged: 2018-07-27 07:23:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7609060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helo572/pseuds/helo572
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five years in space. Every time Spock thinks he understands how Kirk does it, the man goes and changes the rules.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Superhero

**Author's Note:**

> This is not nearly as serious as the description makes it out to be, I swear. I wrote this quickly and only because I went to see Star Trek: Beyond today. Then I listened to Superheroes on repeat for a solid two hours. Then this happened. Now we're here.

When Commander Spock thought he truly understood James Tiberius Kirk, the captain would manage to do something to change this theoretical framework entirely.

 

Like, his warped sense of humour, where he'd poke fun at the most trivial or inappropriate things. (Spock learned it was a method of coping in intense scenarios, mainly, or Jim was simply bored.) Or he would say something entirely without sense, slotting words into strange places in his speech (and occasionally mission reports, which are amended prior to the document finding itself on the admiral's desk).

 

Most recently, he acquainted Spock of the appropriate contextual use of the human colloquialism 'superhero'. Apparently, it was a far more broad definition than Spock initially believed, and not limited to comical beings with unbelievable abilities that humans often looked up to, despite being obviously fictional.

 

“Y'know,” Kirk explained to him during one of their treks, on an analysis mission after Spock quizzed him, “superheroes. Heroes that are extra ordinary. Heroes on steroids.”

 

“And why am I, a science officer who clearly is ordinary nor on steroids, a... superhero?”

 

“You did something super. Don't remember what. Think it was getting some samples together, I thought it was great, so I called you a superhero.”

 

“You mean it as a compliment to my efficiency,” Spock translated, but still posed it as a question all the same. Kirk seemed grateful for the idle chatter; it drowned out the noises of the forest surrounding them.

 

“Yeah,” Kirk replied. “Your efficiency was on steroids.”

 

“I am glad you found it adequate.”

 

The mission concluded, of course, with them running from the local population before reaching their goal site, where large collections of possibly useful minerals were gathered. It had been raised in their planetary scan, but Scotty could not beam them close due to interference from said mineral.

 

It also disguised the precise location of the thousands of lifeforms currently occupying the ground the subject of their interests was located.

 

“Beam me up _now_ , Scotty!” Kirk ducked to avoid a flying spear as they ran back into the thicket, nearly loosing his footing in the twist of plants on the forest floor. Spock regarded him with a quick glance, and little else. “God damnit! Now! Scotty!”

 

“ _I can't, sir, you're still in range of the interference_!”

 

“How much further, Mister Scott?” queried Spock placidly, earning him an exasperated glance from Kirk.

 

“ _Aye, a few hundred metres, perhaps. It's hard to tell_.”

 

Another spear flew a little too close to Kirk's head for his liking, sending him swearing. He picked up his pace. Spock accommodated easily.

 

“Now?” Kirk shouted into his communicator, after regaining his composure. He was red-faced from their run. Spock was not.

 

“ _Not yet. Keep on going, should be close._ ”

 

Jim groaned. “Is this Bones' way of telling me to do more cardio work? Because I will, totally will, I just prefer the one that doesn't involve me possibly getting killed! Please!”

 

There was an amused huff on the other end of the line. It was only a few moments later Scotty shouted back at him, “ _There ya both are!_ ”

 

Kirk and Spock exchanged a look, nodded at one another, and then ducked behind separate trees. The locals gained on them rapidly, like a tidal wave of lifeforms appearing out from the stillness of the trees. Kirk sent a wary glance around his hiding space to evaluate the oncoming hoard.

 

“Any time, Scotty!”

 

The ground was shaking with heavy footfalls when Kirk allowed himself to close his eyes, and suck in possibly his last breath. Suddenly, he was breathing recycled air, and let out a thankful breath. Opening his eyes, he saw Scotty beaming at him like it was Christmas from behind the transporter panel.

 

“You're welcome,” quipped the engineer, giving Kirk a slap on the back as he stepped down off the platform.

 

“You're a damn superhero, Scotty.” Kirk patted him in return, smiling.

 

Spock spent many hours of meditation that night pondering over their mission, and his and Kirk's brief discussion. He took James Kirk into perspective, again reevaluating his perceptions of the man, and found the word 'superhero' fit in quite nicely, by Kirk's definition.

 

After all, not any man could become captain of an elite star ship fresh out of the Academy. Not any man could command it so well; inspire the loyalty he does in his crew and in (most of) the planets they visit on their five year mission.

 

Not any man would brave the depths of space, literally, wandering into the depths of the unknown. There is no man Spock would rather have leading them into the dark.

 

So it was only logical: James Tiberius Kirk, a literal superhero.

 

**Author's Note:**

> "When you've been fighting for it all your life  
> You've been working every day and night  
> That's how a superhero learns to fly  
> (Every day, every hour  
> Turn the pain into power)
> 
> All the hurt, all the lies  
> All the tears that they cry  
> When the moment is just right  
> You see fire in their eyes
> 
> 'Cause he's stronger than you know  
> A heart of steel starts to grow"  
> SUPERHEROES, the Script


End file.
